


Holding Out

by latenightlionheart



Series: Almost Kayfabe [1]
Category: Professional Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Angst, M/M, Phone Calls & Telephones, Sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-31
Updated: 2016-08-31
Packaged: 2018-08-12 06:44:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7924621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/latenightlionheart/pseuds/latenightlionheart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>I'm the light blinking at the end of the road, blink back to let me know.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Holding Out

Leaving WWE was easy. Spat the words out, didn't answer calls, didn't look back. But leaving Heath there...

Justin hadn't even asked, he knew the answer; he _couldn't_. Heath was nothing if not loyal and no matter how badly things were going for him, he would stick it out. Justin understood, he did. But that didn't mean he wasn't gutted.

He didn't watch often, it was too weird and mostly just made him sad. He always kept up with what Heath was doing but watching the actual shows? This was the man Justin had once shared everything with. It just hurt too much.

He didn't even know what compelled him to watch that night. But he had and there was Heath, _his_ Heath, taking an absolutely brutal beating by Orton. The attack was vicious and senseless and seemingly neverending. Stomach churning and heart pounding with rage, Justin turned it off. He sat in silence for a long while, trying to calm down. 

What he'd seen... _oh god_. This was why he didn't watch. It was almost unbearable, the anger (and he was furious, livid really) and the anguish of watching, helpless, as the one he loved was so callously brutalised. And for _what_? He had to call Heath, had to know he was okay. Just let him be okay.

Heath picked up almost instantly, his voice sounding so small, so far away.

"Justin?"

"Are you all right?"

"....I-I'm managin' "

"But are you okay?"

"...I'm all banged up but..."

The pauses just amplified Justin's concern. If Heath was actually _admitting_ he was hurting it was probably worse than he was letting on.

"Please be careful? I know you're tough but...that was hard to watch..."

"But it's what I--what _we_ do! So I got beat up! I'm breathin', I got back up! I'll do it again, too--"

"Heath, you know I'm always proud of you, right?"

"...Are you?"

"Always! But Orton? Lesnar? They're animals, Heath! And you say _I'm_ the one  with the death wish?"

"You _could_ stand to jump outta less planes...and on off less stuff...and--"

"I'm serious, Heath. They don't care if they really hurt you. Those weren't even matches, I could barely watch--"

"You know what then Gabriel, then don't okay?! You had to do what you had to do and now I'm doing what I have to do."

Justin's chest tightened. What he had to do? Heath didn't even have a contract, this company didn't even care to draft him. He could leave now too, it would be so easy, they could finally...

"...If they won't give you a contract, maybe--"

"No."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that, I--"

"You really shouldn't have. Look, it's getting late and--"

"Heath?"

"What?"

"I miss you, rockstar."

The line was quiet. Justin held his breath. Then Heath's voice, softened, sadder.

"Yeah, I really miss you too."

**Author's Note:**

> Summary lyric from "Always", Panic! at the Disco.
> 
> Set before Summerslam, the week Heath got beat up by Lesnar and then Orton, back to back.


End file.
